ਰਾਗੁ ਸੂਹੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ਕੁਚਜੀ                          ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥

Rāg sūhī mėhlā 1 kucẖjī  Ik▫oaʼnkār saṯgur parsāḏ.

 

Composition of the first Guru in Raga Soohi, titled (kuchaji) unskilled woman/soul.  Invoking the one all-pervasive Creator who may be known with the true guru’s grace/guidance.

 

Note: In this Shabad Guru Nanak describes the state of a soul-woman who does not receive love of the Almighty-husband. The reason is that like a woman who loves the husband for the comforts he provides, but does not have sincere love, such a soul-woman only enjoys the God-given benedictions but has no love for the Giver. Once this is realized, she repents and seeks God’s grace to reform the self. The message is for all human beings.

 

ਮੰਞੁ ਕੁਚਜੀ ਅੰਮਾਵਣਿ ਡੋਸੜੇ ਹਉ ਕਿਉ ਸਹੁ ਰਾਵਣਿ ਜਾਉ ਜੀਉ ॥ ਇਕ ਦੂ ਇਕਿ ਚੜੰਦੀਆ ਕਉਣੁ ਜਾਣੈ ਮੇਰਾ ਨਾਉ ਜੀਉ ॥

Mañ kucẖjī ammāvaṇ dosṛe ha▫o ki▫o saho rāvaṇ jā▫o jī▫o.  Ik ḏū ik cẖaṛanḏī▫ā ka▫uṇ jāṇai merā nā▫o jī▫o.

 

(Manjn-u) I am (kuchaji) an unskilled woman (ammaavan-i = overflowing) with countless (ddosrrey/dos) faults; (kiau) how can I (jaau = go) expect (raavan-i) to have pleasure of company of my (sahu) spouse, i.e. my conduct is unbecoming, how can I expect to be accepted for union by the Almighty.

There are other women/souls (ik) one (charrandeeaa) better (doo) than (ik-i) another; (kaun-u = who?) no one (jaanai = know, meyra naau = my name) recognises me, i.e. I have no virtues to be noticed.

 

ਜਿਨ੍ਹ੍ਹੀ ਸਖੀ ਸਹੁ ਰਾਵਿਆ ਸੇ ਅੰਬੀ ਛਾਵੜੀਏਹਿ ਜੀਉ ॥ ਸੇ ਗੁਣ ਮੰਞੁ ਨ ਆਵਨੀ ਹਉ ਕੈ ਜੀ ਦੋਸ ਧਰੇਉ ਜੀਉ ॥

Jinĥī sakẖī saho rāvi▫ā se ambī cẖẖāvṛī▫ehi jī▫o.  Se guṇ mañ na āvnī ha▫o kai jī ḏos ḏẖare▫o jī▫o.

 

Those (sakhi = girlfriends) soul-women (jinhi) who (raaviaa = consummate) enjoy company of (sah-u = husband) the Almighty-husband, (sey) they sit under the cool (chhavrreeyeh-i) shade (ambi) of the mango tree in hot weather, i.e. they are at peace in the world full of strife.

(Manjn-u) I do not (aavn-i) know (sey = those) their (gun = virtues) attributes; so (kai) on which other (jee) person (hau) I can (dhareyau) place (dos) blame – my shortcomings are responsible for this.

 

ਕਿਆ ਗੁਣ ਤੇਰੇ ਵਿਥਰਾ ਹਉ ਕਿਆ ਕਿਆ ਘਿਨਾ ਤੇਰਾ ਨਾਉ ਜੀਉ ॥ ਇਕਤੁ ਟੋਲਿ ਨ ਅੰਬੜਾ ਹਉ ਸਦ ਕੁਰਬਾਣੈ ਤੇਰੈ ਜਾਉ ਜੀਉ ॥

Ki▫ā guṇ ṯere vithrā ha▫o ki▫ā ki▫ā gẖinā ṯerā nā▫o jī▫o.  Ikaṯ tol na ambṛā ha▫o saḏ kurbāṇai ṯerai jā▫o jī▫o.

 

(Kia) what all of (teyrey) Your (gun) virtues do I (vithraa = detail) describe and (kia kiaa) by what all (naau) names/attributes do I (ghina = take) describe You –You are so profound in virtues, o Almighty.

I cannot (ambrraa = reach) acquire even (ikat-u) one (ttol-i = asset) virtue of Yours; I (sad) ever (kurbaanai jaau = am sacrifice) adore (teyrai) You.

 

ਸੁਇਨਾ ਰੁਪਾ ਰੰਗੁਲਾ ਮੋਤੀ ਤੈ ਮਾਣਿਕੁ ਜੀਉ ॥ ਸੇ ਵਸਤੂ ਸਹਿ ਦਿਤੀਆ ਮੈ ਤਿਨ੍ਹ੍ਹ ਸਿਉ ਲਾਇਆ ਚਿਤੁ ਜੀਉ ॥

Su▫inā rupā rangulā moṯī ṯai māṇik jī▫o.  Se vasṯū sėh ḏiṯī▫ā mai ṯinĥ si▫o lā▫i▫ā cẖiṯ jī▫o.

 

(Suina) gold, (rupa) silver, (moti) pearls (tai) and (maanik-u) rubies; each of these (rangula) is joy-giving.

(Sah-i) the Master (diteeaa) gave (sey) these (vastoo) things – but forgetting the beneficent Master – (mai) I have (laaiaa) attached my (chit-u) mind (siau) with (tinh) them.

 

ਮੰਦਰ ਮਿਟੀ ਸੰਦੜੇ ਪਥਰ ਕੀਤੇ ਰਾਸਿ ਜੀਉ ॥ ਹਉ ਏਨੀ ਟੋਲੀ ਭੁਲੀਅਸੁ ਤਿਸੁ ਕੰਤ ਨ ਬੈਠੀ ਪਾਸਿ ਜੀਉ ॥

Manḏar mitī sanḏ▫ṛe pathar kīṯe rās jī▫o.  Ha▫o enī tolī bẖulī▫as ṯis kanṯ na baiṯẖī pās jī▫o.

 

(Mandar) houses (sandrrey = of) made with (mitti) clay and (pathar) stones; I (keetey = made) treat them my (raas-i) wealth – lasting wealth.

(Hau) I (bhuleeas-i) have gone astray looking at (eyni) these as (ttoli) assets; and have not (baitthi) sat (paas-i) with (tis-u) that (kant) Master, i.e. do not acknowledge the One who gave these.

 

ਅੰਬਰਿ ਕੂੰਜਾ ਕੁਰਲੀਆ ਬਗ ਬਹਿਠੇ ਆਇ ਜੀਉ ॥ ਸਾਧਨ ਚਲੀ ਸਾਹੁਰੈ ਕਿਆ ਮੁਹੁ ਦੇਸੀ ਅਗੈ ਜਾਇ ਜੀਉ ॥

Ambar kūnjā kurlī▫ā bag bahiṯẖe ā▫e jī▫o.  Sā ḏẖan cẖalī sāhurai ki▫ā muhu ḏesī agai jā▫e jī▫o.

 

(Ambar-i) in the sky, (koonjaa-n) dark cranes (kurleeaa) have flown and (bag) the white cranes have (aaey) come and (bahitthey = sat) taken their place, i.e. black hair in my head/youth has gone and grey hair/old age has come – life is nearing its end.

(Saadhan) the bride (chali) is leaving for (sahurai) her in-laws place, i.e. the soul is to leave this world for the hereafter; (kiaa) what (muh-u) face will she (deysi = give) show (jaaey = going) on reaching (agai = ahead) the Divine court, i.e. what virtues does s/he have to be accepted for union with the Creator?

 

ਸੁਤੀ ਸੁਤੀ ਝਾਲੁ ਥੀਆ ਭੁਲੀ ਵਾਟੜੀਆਸੁ ਜੀਉ ॥ ਤੈ ਸਹ ਨਾਲਹੁ ਮੁਤੀਅਸੁ ਦੁਖਾ ਕੂੰ ਧਰੀਆਸੁ ਜੀਉ ॥

Suṯī suṯī jẖāl thī▫ā bẖulī vātṛī▫ās jī▫o.  Ŧai sah nālahu muṯī▫as ḏukẖā kūʼn ḏẖarī▫ās jī▫o.

 

Or look at this in another way: The woman (suti suti) keeps sleeping until (theeaa = became) it is (jhaal-u) morning – and does not enjoy the company of the husband, i.e. in life I am inebriated by attachment to the world-play, and (bhuli) have forgotten (vaatteeaas-u = path) to obey Hukam/commands of the Creator.

As a result, I (muteeas-u) am separated from (tai) You, my (sahu) Master, and (dhareeaas-u = placed) have put myself (koon) in (dukhaa) grief.

 

ਤੁਧੁ ਗੁਣ ਮੈ ਸਭਿ ਅਵਗਣਾ ਇਕ ਨਾਨਕ ਕੀ ਅਰਦਾਸਿ ਜੀਉ ॥ ਸਭਿ ਰਾਤੀ ਸੋਹਾਗਣੀ ਮੈ ਡੋਹਾਗਣਿ ਕਾਈ ਰਾਤਿ ਜੀਉ ॥੧॥

Ŧuḏẖ guṇ mai sabẖ avgaṇā ik Nānak kī arḏās jī▫o.  Sabẖ rāṯī sohāgaṇī mai dohāgaṇ kā▫ī rāṯ jī▫o. ||1||

 

O my Master, (tudh-u) You have (sabh-i) all (gun) merits but (mai) I have (sabh-i) all (avganaa) faults – so I do not qualify to merge with You; but this is (ardaas-i) the supplication (ki) of Nanak – on behalf of all creatures:

You have given company of (sabh-i) all (raati) nights (sohaagni) to the fortunate soul-wivese; please spare (kaai) some (raat-i) night for this (ddohagan-i) unfortunate one, i.e. enable me to remember and experience You within, sometime in this life. 1.